The present invention relates to the field of postal handling, processing, and delivery and, more particularly, to detecting contents of letters, flats, packages, or other mail.
Even though threats and other actions by terrorist and fringe groups have occurred with biological, germ, chemical, or other harmful agents over the years, more recent developments have brought such threats to the forefront of the public thought and action. Postal and delivery firms, however, continue to face significant problems with biological, germ, chemical, and other harmful agents that are likely to cause injury, sickness, or death when handled by the transportation or delivery firm or when opened by the intended recipient of a mailpiece or package. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has declared that safety of all people processing, delivering and receiving mail must be given the highest priority.
The complexity of detection of contents of a letter, flat, or package within the USPS or other mail or parcel delivery service is immense. The USPS, for example, handles over 680 million pieces of mail every day collected from as many as 100 million points (assuming residential and businesses may leave mail for the delivery carrier to pick up). In the U.S. alone, there are up to 500 processing centers collecting mail from over 28,000 post offices which, in turn, collect mail from mail drops or collection boxes that easily number over one million. It can be practically impossible to have personalized inspectors located at each mail drop or collection box. For example, the cost can be prohibitive, the environments are not well controlled, and mail drop or other mail boxes can be subject to bypass by handling mail directly to a delivery carrier.
Also, in the USPS, there are three primary types of mail categories. For example, letters and postcards are, by USPS definition, no larger than 6.125 inches by 11.5 inches or xc2xc inch thick. Flats are larger than letters but no larger than 12 inches by 15 inches or 1.25 inches thick. Parcels are any mail-piece that exceeds a flat dimension. Letters are typically processed by different equipment than flats or parcels due to the difference in the physical characteristics. Accordingly, because of the different sizes, shapes, and weight of mail and the different processing stations within postal service companies, detecting biological, germ, chemical, and other harmful agents within the mail can be even more difficult. Further, to add to the complexity, as described above, mail and mail packaging also can be composed of different materials other than just paper or organic products which, in turn, makes it even more difficult to process and handle.
With the foregoing in mind, the system and methods of the present invention advantageously provide efficient mail processing and handling that, as compared to existing procedures, enhances detection within the mail being processed or handled of biological, germ, chemical, or other harmful agents. The system and methods provide additionally a higher level of quality and consistency for processing and handling mail so that concerns over contamination of postal workers and potential mail recipients are reduced.
The present invention advantageously provides a system, product, and methods to disable or decontaminate mail having harmful agents associated therewith. The present invention also advantageously provides a system which examines mailpieces at the earliest point in the collection and distribution process for each type of mail. Therefore, the system preferably detects the presence of harmful agents prior to handling or opening. Alternatively, to enhance protection of postal carriers, the present invention also can provide a type of biological, germ, chemical, or other harmful agent detection sensor at each mail drop or collection box by providing drivers or vehicles with preliminary detection capabilities to enhance protection of a driver.
More particularly, the present invention provides a system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail which preferably includes at least one piece of mail processing equipment positioned within a mail processing facility, at least one harmful agent sensors positioned adjacent the at least one piece of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by each of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment, at least one system processor in communication with the at least one harmful agent sensors to process data received therefrom, and at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that the at least one harmful agent sensor has sensed the presence of a harmful agent.
According to other aspects of the present invention a system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail is provided which preferably includes a plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment positioned within a mail processing facility, a plurality of harmful agent sensors each positioned adjacent one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in each individual piece of mail as the mail is processed by each of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment, at least one system processor in communication with each of the plurality of harmful agent sensors to process data received from the plurality of harmful agent sensors, and at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that at least one of the plurality of harmful agent sensors has sensed the presence of a harmful agent.
Due to the difference in handling processes, the location of detection equipment preferably is based on the requirements of the processing equipment currently utilized. A system according to the present invention preferably uses methods of detection by physically touching, smelling, or sensing each mailpiece after the mailpiece has been introduced into processing equipment and separated from each other. This sensing preferably is performed at high speed, typically more than 15 pieces per second, using a variety of methods for agent detection. For example, laser scanning or pulsing detection systems, sensor xe2x80x9csniffersxe2x80x9d that are as small as a microchip and can process instantly, and ultraviolet light can also be used in order to retard the growth of bacteria. In addition, other methods can be used as well as understood by those skilled in the art as the threat of anthrax, smallpox, and other biological warfare agents are currently prevalent.
Olfactory systems or machines which smell or sense different agents can be used as well. These olfactory systems also can be mounted to vehicles or carried by deliverers as a preliminary detection system for mail carriers, e.g., using hand-held sensors or machines mounted to the vehicle such as provided with olfactory machines or other types of sensors. The hand-held sensor has the benefit of providing the carrier early detection prior to removing bulk mail from a mail box, drop box, or other collection box or location.
The present invention also advantageously includes methods of detecting and methods of disabling harmful agents associated with pieces of mail. A method of detecting the presence of a harmful agent associated with mail preferably includes smell sensing the presence of one of a plurality of harmful agents possibly associated with the contents of mail by the use of an olfactory device and indicating an alarm condition responsive to the sensed presence of one of a plurality of harmful agents.
For detection within a mail handling facility, a system for letters according to the present invention is to require that all non-verified and all unique mailpieces be processed through a piece of equipment that will cancel and face mailpieces. This process requires that the mailpieces be individually separated and then individually canceled with a mechanical ink impression. This process allows for the sensors to act individually on each mailpiece to thereby increase the accuracy and ensure proper identification of the offending mailpiece.
For flats, the system is similar to that of letters except the equipment is typically called a Model 15 flats canceler. This equipment also separates and mechanically cancels that mailpiece, although at a substantially slower speed than letters. Since the canceler physically touches the envelope and causes the contents to be xe2x80x9cshifted and shaken-upxe2x80x9d it would allow certain biological, germ, chemical or other harmful agent sensors to examine each mailpiece as the mailpiece passes by the device therefore detecting these harmful agents inside.
For parcels, the system ensures separation is performed by mechanical equipment prior to directing the sensing devices towards the parcel. The equipment used for processing parcels is more varied but requires that the mailpiece be separated prior to the sortation process.
Still further, a system of detecting and disabling harmful agents in mail is also provided which applies a xe2x80x9cnanobombxe2x80x9d or other disabling agent in mail processing ink or other mail associated fluid such as associated with a mail canceling station, a bar code application station, or other station where ink or other mail processing fluid is often applied, or any other application of mail processing ink as understood by those skilled in the art. For example, within an ink pad, ink material itself, or other fluid location a disabling biological or chemical agent or reactant can be located so that when individual pieces of mail are stamped as being canceled or processed, the postal workers handling mail have increased confidence that mail passing through the station is disabled or decontaminated. This can also be accomplished when a bar-code or a visible identification tag marker or other indicia which has ink or other printed material is applied to an article of mail. So, in essence, detection or mass processing is provided by the disabling agent itself within the ink or other locations to which the ink is associated, e.g., applied to material of the pad itself of an ink pad.
A system for disabling harmful agents in contents of or associated with mail is also provided according to further aspects of the present invention. The system preferably includes at least one piece of mail processing equipment positioned to process a plurality of pieces of mail and a harmful agent disabling fluid applicator associated with the at least one piece of mail processing equipment and positioned to apply a harmful agent disabling fluid to a plurality of pieces of mail being processed to thereby disable harmful agents within the plurality of pieces of mail during one of the following conditions: when all of the plurality of mail pieces pass through at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment, when the presence of a harmful agent is detected in a mail piece being processed, or when the absence of a harmful agent is detected in a mail piece being processed.
The present invention also includes a method of disabling a harmful agent associated with a piece of mail. The method preferably includes applying a harmful agent disabling fluid, e.g., liquid, gas, mist, or spray, associated with processing mail to one or more mail pieces, e.g., to each of or a bundle, group, set, or container of a plurality of mail pieces.
Accordingly, a system and methods of detecting harmful agents within contents of mail of the present invention advantageously provides a lower cost, more effective, and enhanced redundancy solution to substantially reduce the likelihood of passing on mail having harmful agents to postal customers. The mail processing system and methods also advantageously reduces risk of exposure to carriers and handlers of mail by early and redundant detection.